The Fourth Apprentice/Chapter 1
Chapter description Lionblaze's PoV :Lionblaze sits between Graystripe and Sorreltail at a Gathering, and they discuss the drought and how hot and dry the season has become. Meanwhile, the Clan leaders address the crowd from the Great Oak, Onestar of WindClan announcing that their medicine cat, Barkface, has died. Firestar speaks next, stating that ThunderClan has been able to cope with the heat, and that they have two new warriors, Rosepetal and Toadstep. As the cats cheer for the young cats, they look proud, as do their mentors, Squirrelflight and Cloudtail. Lionblaze comments that he is surprised that Squirrelflight was made a mentor after the lies she told about him and his littermates being her kits, and thinks that she betrayed them too deeply for forgiveness. :Leopardstar interrupts the last of the cheers for the new warriors, saying that she still has a report to make, and hisses that the other cats are prey-stealers. The warriors of ThunderClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan are furious at the accusation, leaping up and calling out in protest. Lionblaze looks around, realizing how thin the RiverClan cats look, and noting that they are starving. Graystripe points out that all the cats are going hungry, which Lionblaze realizes is also true. :Firestar raises his tail for silence, and as the cats in the crowd quiet, asks Leopardstar to explain what her reasons are for accusing them. Leopardstar snarls that they have all been taking fish from the lake, and that those fish belong to RiverClan. Blackstar and Onestar object, pointing out that the lake bordered their territories as well, so they were just as entitled as RiverClan to the fish from it. Leopardstar argues that RiverClan only catches fish, so all the fish should belong to them. Squirrelflight calls out furiously in response, demanding if she was saying that the RiverClan cats are too incompetent to catch a mouse. Brambleclaw points out that it is not her place to speak here, but adds to Leopardstar that she does have a point. Lionblaze winces at Brambleclaw's tone towards Squirrelflight, and reflects upon how the two had barely spoken since Squirrelflight's lie had been exposed. :Leopardstar insists that the lake's fish belong to RiverClan. She says she will back this up with force, and will extend her patrols around the lake. Onestar and Blackstar argue that she cannot do that, because she would be invading their territory. Firestar warns her that she is just going to start a war and cause more problems between the Clans. Leopardstar stares at the other leaders as if she is going to attack them, but instead leaps down from the Great Oak and leads her cats out of the island, ending the Gathering. :The ThunderClan cats return to their territory discussing what to do about Leopardstar and her cats. Dustpelt declares that any dry land that borders their territory is ThunderClan's and that RiverClan cannot have it, but Ferncloud asks if they should let RiverClan have the lake because they are starving. Firestar decides that they will not attack RiverClan for patrolling the lake, and will only do so if the RiverClan cats enter their territory. :Jayfeather approaches Lionblaze, commenting that Leopardstar will not be able to get away with what she was doing; cats will eventually get clawed because of it. Lionblaze agrees, then asks Jayfeather if the rumor cats were spreading about Leopardstar having lost two lives recently was true. Jayfeather confirms that it is, stating that she had lost her first life from a thorn scratch and her second life from an illness that made her very thirsty and weak. Lionblaze comments that she must just be trying to make herself seem strong by claiming the lake, to which Jayfeather points out that she was going about it the wrong way. Lionblaze hopefully says that it might blow over, but Jayfeather responds that the lake's return would be the only thing that would solve their problems. :Cloudtail wakes Lionblaze the next morning to go on a patrol to collect water for the Clan from the lake, along with Berrynose, Icecloud, Hazeltail, and Blossompaw. They travel to the lake, and as they reach the water's edge, they spot a hostile-looking RiverClan patrol: Reedwhisker, Graymist, Otterheart, and Sneezepaw. Reedwhisker steps towards the patrol, telling them that the fish of the lake are RiverClan's. Cloudtail explains that they are there to get water, not fish. Graymist points out that there are streams on ThunderClan territory, but the white warrior reminds her that they were all dried up, and that they need water from the lake. :Berrynose pipes up that they will take the water whether the RiverClan cats like it or not, and the RiverClan cats slide out their claws at this comment, the ThunderClan patrol bracing for a fight. Furious, Cloudtail whips around, ordering Berrynose to keep his jaws shut. Berrynose protests, but Cloudtail snaps that he would be searching the elders for ticks for a moon if he spoke another word. He apologizes for Berrynose to the RiverClan cats, and requests that they let them take water from the lake. Reluctantly, Reedwhisker agrees and allows them take water from the lake. Much to the ThunderClan patrol's anger, the RiverClan patrol watches over them, trying to make sure they don't steal fish. As Lionblaze soaks his moss in the water, he wonders for how much longer the Clans could survive like they are. Characters Major }} Minor *Sorreltail *Jayfeather *Kestrelflight *Onestar *Firestar *Leopardstar *Blackstar *Toadstep *Rosepetal *Cloudtail *Squirrelflight *Brambleclaw *Dustpelt *Ferncloud *Berrynose *Icecloud *Hazeltail *Blossompaw *Reedwhisker *Graymist *Otterheart *Sneezepaw }} Mentioned *Leafpool *Crowfeather *Ashfur *Hollyleaf *Mothwing *Willowshine }} Notes and references Category:Chapter subpages Category:Omen of the Stars arc Category:The Fourth Apprentice